Families briefed on Sandy Hook shootings probe

State Police: Victims' families told little about gunman's mental state

NEWTOWN -- State Police updated the families of the Sandy Hook shooting on the status of its investigation this week, but one parent expressed dismay afterward that authorities have declined to share information about what they know about the mental state of gunman Adam Lanza.

In the meantime, investigators have found it difficult to track down people who knew Lanza and could have insight into what provoked his murderous rampage, one law enforcement source said. The 20-year-old has been depicted as painfully shy and socially awkward by classmates and others who said they knew him.

"This individual was extremely isolated," said the official, who asked not to be identified because of the sensitive nature of the investigation.

The briefing at Edmond Town Hall on Tuesday night lasted for about three hours. State Police and command staff were there, as well as mental health professionals. Some of the update focused on what authorities now believe happened at Sandy Hook Elementary School the morning of Dec. 14.

Veronique Pozner, whose 6-year-old son Noah was among the 20 students killed at the elementary school, declined to comment about what was said during the meeting but said she was concerned about what authorities didn't tell the families about Lanza's mental state at the time of the shootings.

Pozner said that because of state law, investigators couldn't share information about whether the gunman was being treated by a mental health professional, whether he was taking any medications or what his school records may or may not show about his mental state.

"It would benefit society to know what his mental health, or lack thereof, was at the time of the crime and leading up to it," she said. "We should be able to conduct a psychological autopsy of this individual with the focus of preventing something like this from happening again."

Pozner said she also wanted to know if Lanza was being treated by a mental health care professional, if the individual treating him was aware that he had access to guns and that he was being taken to shooting ranges by his parents.

State Police spokesman Lt. Paul Vance said that state law prevents authorities from releasing information about Lanza's mental state.

"A medical history doesn't die with an individual and there was some discussion about that," he said. "It's our responsibility to abide by state law even when conducting an investigation."

Vance said Tuesday's meeting was the first of many to be held in the future, adding, "We are doing everything we can to answer questions from the victims' families and we will continue to do so."

Early in their investigation, State Police found a wealth of gaming material at the home Lanza shared with his mother, Nancy. Investigators have focused much of their probe on this area.

Records of the Internet service provider for the Lanza home on Yogananda Street have been subpoenaed, as authorities attempt to backtrack and find gaming websites or chatrooms visited by Adam Lanza.

Authorities also are attempting to reconstruct computer hard drives that Lanza attempted to destroy before or on the day of the shootings. That effort is proving arduous and may take months if not longer, the law enforcement source said.